10 Things I Loved in 2023: Mike Kazimer
BC Bike Race
The BC Bike Race has been on my radar for a long time, and this year I finally managed to make it to Vancouver Island for seven days of full-on cross-country racing. I can't remember the last time I did a proper XC race, but I had a great time ripping around the excellent trails on Vancouver Island in my short shorts.
Going fast is so much fun, no matter which way the trail points, and it was an ideal way to spend some time in the pain cave, trying to dig deep to stay in the mix and avoid melting in the summer heat. It's hard to beat the feeling of life being distilled down to eat – race – eat – sleep – repeat. I'd definitely do it again, although now I'm curious to try something with more mileage each day – the 6-day Breck Epic look like it could fit the bill.
More information: bcbikerace.com
Trail Builders
Are you a trail builder? Take a moment to pat yourself on the back – you deserve it. Mountain biking wouldn't be where it is today without the hard work of a bunch of beer-swilling curmudgeons (I know, that doesn't describe all builders, just most of them). Seriously, though, every year I find myself blown away by the treasures that have been constructed out in the woods. From steep trails with dirt so fresh that it sprays up and goes down the back of your neck, to clever wooden creations that would fit right into a New World Disorder movie, there are some seriously amazing trails being built these days.
If you've ridden something special lately, don't forget to show your appreciation – donate to your local trail organization, show up to help on a volunteer dig day, bake some brownies, buy some beverages, whatever it takes to let the diggers know that you recognize how much work it takes to build a good trail.
A New Townie
My ideal world would be full of bullet trains and bike lanes - I hate driving, and try to avoid unnecessary trips in the car whenever possible. After over 15 years of pedaling around town on my 1976 Sentinel set up with a coaster brake, I treated myself to a fresh whip – a Marin DSX 2. I added full fenders to it, since I live in a really rainy part of the world, put some slightly wider bars on and it's good to go.
I guess technically it's a flat bar gravel bike, but I don't really have anything planned for it other than using it to run errands and go to the climbing gym. While I still have tons of fond memories of my previous townie (I passed it on to my little brother), the upgrade from a coaster brake to disk brakes sure is nice.
More information: marinbikes.com
Feedback Mechanic HD Bike Stand
My favorite things of the year tend to be the ones I used the most, and the Feedback Mechanic HD repair stand certainly meets that criteria. It's seen near-daily usage this year, and it's still working just as good as when it arrived.
The HD in the title refers to its ability to hold up to 100 pounds, a trait that comes in handy when dealing with the extra-hefty enduro sleds that have been showing up lately, or a portly e-bike. The ratcheting clamp is super easy to use with one hand, and the stand is still light (18 lb) and compact enough to fold up and bring on a road trip.
At $495 it's not cheap, but if you don't need the extra weight capacity the Feedback Pro Mechanic stand has all of the same features with a 40-pound weight limit and a price tag that's $100 less.
More information: feedbacksports.com
Trek Fuel EX
I'd be remiss to exclude my personal mountain bike from this list, especially since it's the bike I hop on when I need a reset, a return to center after testing all sorts of other bikes. The Fuel EX has had a wide array of test components installed over the last year – shown above is its current configuration, with a fresh fender up front and a Maxxis Shorty to deal with the mud and snow, and a special fork that's definitely not just a previous-gen Lyrik with some Zeb stickers...
Nerds Rope
Given the amount of time I spend in gas stations perusing the shelves for mid- and post-ride snacks I'm not sure how this wonderful treat flew under my radar - I only learned of its existence a few months ago. Needless to say, it's amazing, a combo of crunchy and chewy, with enough sugar and artificial coloring that it's basically the candy equivalent of licking a nine-volt battery.
More information: nerdscandy.com/nerds-rope
Scor 2030
I reviewed all sorts of bikes this year, everything from XC race machines to long travel, Steampunk-ish creations bristling with idler pulleys. Out of that wide range of bikes, the Scor 2030 ended up being one of my favorites, thanks to its snappy pedaling manners and great downhill performance. It's the sort of bike that seems to encourage creative riding, whether that's trying to launch off every natural lip in sight, or holding a mid-trail manual as long as possible. It's also no slouch in the steeps, and I had a blast taking it down all sorts of techy trails in the Whistler Valley. It's fun, fast, and a bike that made me smile every time I took it out for a ride.
More information: scor-mtb.com
Fox Flexair Pro Gloves
Fox's Flexair Pro gloves are my current favorites for one main reason: they've held up remarkably well. So well, in fact, that when the stitching started to come undone at the pointer finger I took the time to sew them up in order to extend their lifespan. Sure, in an ideal world I wouldn't have to bust out the needle and thread at all, but that seam split happened well past the point when most other gloves would have given up the ghost. On top of the long lifespan, the palm is nice and thin, and the D30 padding over the outside knuckles is unobtrusive and effective.
More information: foxracing.com
Books & Music
I've been able to share more of my musical picks this year than usual thanks to the Music Corner portion of the Pinkbike Podcast, but for those who didn't tune in here are a few of the selections that made my big ears happy this year:
I finally finished all four books in Robert Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson biography series, a task that I'm still not quite sure why I started. The biographies are fascinating and extremely well written, but after wading through 3,000 pages on LBJ I'm not sure it was an entirely pleasurable experience. I'd categorize it as something like 'endurance reading.' I'm very glad I did it, but it's been nice to dig into some lighter, fictional fare lately.
Other books I enjoyed this year included:
The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer - Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner
Author Info:
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I keep looking real hard at the Muirwoods.
I have that sweet ride for putting around the neighbourhood, but part of me regrets the coaster brakes. I was cruising DOWN mainstreet when the chain fell off the bike.. Needless to say I survived, but only by the graces of the streetlight gods who gave me all greens, and the industrial strength flipflops that held me back from the netherworld. Next bike, I want some solid Vbrakes on the front.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=2058052
"Miki Kázmér said of the latest evolution: “I am a perfectionist and continuously seek innovative new ways to improve the 912c. Our new carbon fibre body is a great example of that, with perfect fit, incredible strength, and further weight saving"
Thanks for that
But are we gonna get one last great things of 2023 from Levy?? For old times sake?
2. Buying a motorcycle
3. De-prioritising mountain biking for motorbiking
I’m disappointed
Oh, it can? And someone here once said that extra travel for those emergency situations, if it can be done while keeping pretty much the same weight and geo, is usually a good thing? Interesting...
1. advent calendars.
2. bumblers
3.
4.
Why? Just because of the tires? Because Marin calls it that? It's got pretty much all mtb parts, even the flat-mount brakes are showing up on decidedly XC mountain bikes. Why isn't it a "rigid mtb with fast tires"?
Also, what's up with the fender looking like it's exposing half the rear tire behind the seattube?